Former ‘Hippie Spirit’ owners charged in federal court

A raid on a Camdenton business two years ago resulted in federal charges being filed last month against the former owners. Brett and Sherri Beeman of O'Fallon, Mo. owned Hippie Spirit on N. Business Route 5.

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The Lake News Online

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Posted Jul. 13, 2014 at 1:42 PM

Posted Jul. 13, 2014 at 1:42 PM

Camdenton

A raid on a Camdenton business two years ago resulted in federal charges being filed last month against the former owners. Brett and Sherri Beeman of O'Fallon, Mo. owned Hippie Spirit on N. Business Route 5.

The Beemans, along with 26 other people, were arrested on federal charges on June 17 connected to the importation, manufacture and nationwide sale of synthetic marijuana and bath salts. As a result of these indictments, the forfeiture of assets linked to the sale and distribution of synthetic marijuana and bath salts could be seized.

The arrest of the Beemans is the culmination of an investigation that stems back to 2012. In that year, the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group (LANEG) noticed a significant increase in the distribution and abuse of synthetic marijuana and bath salts in Camden County.

During this increasing trend, law enforcement identified several Camden County business establishments who were selling synthetic marijuana and bath salts. One of these local business establishments was Hippie Spirit.

On July 13, 2012, LANEG officers, with assistance from the Camden County Sheriff’s Office and the Camdenton Police Department, executed a narcotic related search warrant at Hippie Spirit. As a result of the search warrant, approximately 754 packages of synthetic marijuana and items of drug paraphernalia used in the distribution and consumption of controlled substances were seized from the business.

The federal charges were filed after a long-term investigation by LANEG, the DEA, ICE, IRS, US Postal Service, and other law enforcement agencies in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

LANEG credits their success to local and surrounding law enforcement agencies’ and the public’s cooperation. If you have any information regarding a possible methamphetamine laboratory, growing of marijuana, or other information about the distribution of narcotics, please contact your local law enforcement agency or you can call the following toll free numbers to reach LANEG.

Hippie Spirit is now closed and the building is for sale.

About LANEG

The Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group (LANEG) is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force which serves Camden, Crawford, Gasconade, Laclede, Maries, and Osage Counties. Additionally, the task force serves the cities of Lebanon, Osage Beach, Camdenton, Cuba, Steelville, Bourbon, and Belle. The task force encompasses six counties with an approximate population of 200,000 residents. LANEG employs five Task Force Officers and is coordinated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, who additionally supplies one Trooper to the task force. LANEG focuses their efforts on drug enforcement by conducting both covert and overt narcotics investigations in the counties and cities they serve.